Three Things You Need to Know About Leadership
You’re a leader, so there’s no question about it. There’s probably a bit of “leadership guru” in your constitution to some degree or another. And you probably know there are countless events and learning opportunities happening in our line of work everyday. At MAP, we talk with a lot of clients to gain wisdom from their collective experiences, tap the know-how and expertise of our coaches, and research what’s relevant in leadership—and what’s not. Sorting through it all isn’t easy, but like everything we pursue here in our business, it’s doable when we focus on what’s vital. We stay committed to what matters to the professional health of you, our clients, and what aligns with the MAP mission to help transform your business and life for the better.
Here are three things we believe are important for you to know today:1. Billions Are Being Spent On Leadership Development Every Year
What’s more, a Bersin by Deloitte 2014 study found that U.S. organizations invested $15.5 billion in 2013 on developing their leaders, a 14% spike in spending over that in 2012. Interestingly, smaller businesses, as opposed to large and midsize organizations, have been spending more. Why the push to learn more and do better? The money is there and the demand is real, as pointed out by Karen O’Leonard, vice president of Benchmarking & Analytics Research for Bersin by Deloitte, Deloitte Consulting LLP. “During times of growth, organizations should focus on building their leadership pipelines, and they have,” she said. “The increased investment across all organization sizes indicates a commitment to improving leadership capabilities. Organizations realize twenty-first century leadership is different, and they are investing in development opportunities to build the capabilities needed for today and tomorrow.”
2. Not All Leadership Development Is Created Equal
In addition to Bersin by Deloitte’s findings, other research shows that leaders feel the return on investment isn’t always there. Loads of money get shelled out for programs that inspire but don’t deliver sustainable results. After executives or managers return from a weekend or daylong leadership training, it’s only a matter of weeks before they forget much of what they learned. How come? Lack of consistent, ongoing follow up, tools and coaching. Leaders come away full of fresh ideas and excited to change yet struggle with application and execution.
3. Accountability Makes The Difference
Leadership and business management programs that provide ongoing support through an accountability system and accountability coach are proven to deliver more bang for the buck. Because they transform organizations from the top down, the impact becomes culture-wide and is more likely to get organizations the results they desire. At MAP, accountability is what sets our solution apart from many others and is a major reason why clients report sustainable success. Considering most of you are already MAP clients, you get it. However, if it’s a new concept for you in your journey as a leadership guru or one you’ve flirted with but not quite embraced, make a commitment to read more about accountability leadership through books or online, perhaps reviewing case studies that demonstrate how it works. When it comes to leading organizations, you’ll find accountability makes the difference between status quo and stellar performance.
How is your organization developing its leadership pipeline?
